Jennifer Lopez Has Puerto Rican Water Mite Named After Her

Singer Jennifer Lopez has been honored by a group of scientists who've named a newly discovered species of water mite after her.

"The reason behind the unusual choice of name for the new species is . . . simple: J.Lo's songs and videos kept the team in a continuous good mood when writing the manuscript and watching World Cup Soccer 2014," Vladimir Pesic, biologist at the University of Montenegro, told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The news instantly went viral, prompting many to make jokes on social media.

Pesic published a report on the mite in the peer-reviewed scientific journal ZooKeys on Tuesday.

The mite, dubbed "Litarachna lopezae," was found in a coral reef in Mona Passage, a treacherous body of water that separates Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Lopez is of Puerto Rican descent, and hails from the Bronx, New York.

The mite was found at a depth of 230 feet, the greatest depth pontarachnid mites have ever been found. Mites in general are mostly harmless to humans, but some types carry diseases like scabies.

The AP reported that the odd honor is not the first of its kind, and that a number of celebrities have had species named after them. "Mick Jagger, for example, has a type of trilobite named after him, while one spider was named after Bono and a marine parasite found only in the Caribbean sea was named after Bob Marley," the news agency wrote.

Pesic named "Ain't It Funny" and ''I Luh Ya Papi" among Lopez's hits that inspired him and his team. His personal favorite, however, remains "All I Have," released in 2002.